Governor for windmills.



PATENTBDMAY 28 G.K.HALL. GOVERNOR POR WNDMILLs.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1906.

CHARLES KENRICK HALL, OF JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAAL. GOVERNOR FOR WINDMILLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed May 29, 1906. Serial N0. 319,243.

To (LZZ w/tom/ it' naar] concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KENRIoK HALL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Johannesburg, Transvaal, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors for l/Vindmills and the Like, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to a governor for windmills or other similar air or wind motors, or to a contrivance intended for automatically regulating or setting such mills by varying the obliquity ofthe vanes to the direction of the wind as the velocity of the wind increases or diminishes, so as to maintain a uniform or approximately uniform velocity or rate of speed of the mill. As such mills are at present constructed any increase in the velocity of the wind, speeds up the windmill or motor and as the setting is ordinarily effected by hand, it not infrequently occurs that breakages to the mill result or to machinery driven by it, owing to sudden increases in the rate of speed at which the mill or machines are driven.

In the accompanying drawing I illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention and I will atjonce roceed to describe the same in detail by ai of such drawing.

In the drawing Figure 1 represents the governor in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan, rod l1a not being shown. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the adjustable vanes 28, removed,

'and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the dished plate or cone 22, plate 24, bar 15 and rod 25, showing the means of connecting the bar 15 and the rod 25 to each other and to the plate 22.

In the construction of the apparatus I employ a frame shown consisting of a rectangular piece 1 of metal or other suitable material formed with a downward projecting piece 2. This frame serves for carrying the several parts of the governor, and may be attached in any convenient manner at a suitable altitude to the frame of the windmill.

On the frame 1 is mounted, and slidable longitudinally thereof, a serrated ratchet or toothed bar 3. The upper toothed edge 4 of the bar 3 is made horizontal and the lower toothed edge 5 is inclined from the forward to the rear end as shown in Fig. 1. This bar 3 is constructed at the ends 6, 7 as shown, to roject over the top and bottom edges of the rame and said ends 6, 7, are turned over or overlap said frame, thereby slidably connecting it to the frame 1.

To one end of the frame 1 is revolubly affixed a pulley S.

9 represents a cord or rope which at one extremity is xed to the forward end of the ratchet bar 3 and passes round the pulley S and is attached at its other end in any suitable manner to the headgear of the windmill so that as said cord 9 is drawn in or paid out it "sets the windmill to vary the Obliquity of the vanes to the direction of the wind. The mode of attaching the cord 9 may be according to resent practice, or otherwise as may be pre erred.

To the other end of the frame 1 is pivoted a bellcrank lever of which 12 represents the pivot or fulcrum. One arm 10 of this lever is pivotally attached by means of a pin 12a to a pawl or ratchet 13 which is ada ted under certain circumstances to engage tie teeth on the upper edge 4 of the ratchet bar 3. The other arm 11 of the bellcrank lever is connected with a windmill or pump-rod 11a in any suitable or convenient manner.

To the projection or part 2 of the frame is fixed a bracket 14, and 15 represents a vertical bar or rod adapted to move up and down in said bracket 14, which serves as a guide for it. The upper end of this rod 15 is fashioned into or tted with a plate 16 forming a horizontal surface. In the normal running of the mill, after it has been adjusted the pawl 13 rides on the horizontal surface formed by the top of the plate 16 of the vertical rod 1 5 and isby that means maintained out of engagement with the ratchet teeth of the bar 3.

On the rod 15 above the bracket 14 is adjustably fixed a collar 17 by means of a setscrew 17?L or otherwise and between the collar 17 and the bracket 14 and encircling the rod, is a spiral spring 1S. This spring by engaging the adjustable collar 17 serves for maintaining the rod 15 in its normal position or so that the pawl 13 is out of engagement with the, ratchet teeth on the bar 3.

To the part 2 of the frame 1 is pivoted a pawl or ratchet 19 which is adapted Linder certain circumstances to engage the teeth on the inclined bottom edge 5 of the ratchet bar 3. 2O is the pin which constitutes the fulcrum of the pawl 19. The pawl 19 is also connected with the rod 15 through the medium of a pin 21 which projects into or engages a slot 21a formed in the pawl 19.

To the bottom of the part 2 of the frame 1 is rigidly connected a dished plate or disk 22 IOO IIO

' ratchet bar 3.

constructed with a downward conical flange l 23see Fig. 4. At the center of the dished plate 22 is formed a hole which is immediately beneath the lower extremity of the rod 15. 'Inside the dished plate 22 is arranged a second dished plate 24-see Fig. 4. To this plate 24 is attached a vertical rod 25. 26 is an eye or eye-piece which may serve as the means of connecting the piece 24 to the rod 25, and 27 is a link engaging said eyepiece projecting up through the hole in the dished plate 22, and connecting to the lower extremity of the vertical rod 15. The vertical rod 25 is hung or suspended from the plate 24. This rod 25 is formed with a screw-thread for a suitable portion of its length and it carries' an adjustable vane 28 shown consisting of four semi-circular or two circular plates placed at right angles to each other. 29 represents a nut screwed on the rod 25 which serves for adjustably retaining the vane 28 on lthe rod 25.

On the upper edge of the frame 1 and slightly in advance of the forward end of the horizontal upper surface of the plate 16 of the rod 15, is formed a projection 3() which serves for disengaging the pawl 13 from the upper serrated edge 4 of the bar 3 at the end of each stroke of the pump-ro d.

The governor operates in the following manner z-Assuming that the governor has been set so that in the normal ruiming of the mill the motion imparted to the bellcrank lever 10, 11, causes the awl 13 to move only on the plate 16 and so t iat it does not engage the teeth on the upper edge 4 of the bar 3, then in the event of any appreciable increase in the velocity of the wind, the adjustable vanes 28 tilt the plate 24 about its upper edge inside the dished plate 22. This movement draws down the rod 15 against the spiral spring 18 which permits the pawl 13 to engage the teeth on the upper edge 4 of the The pawl 13 having a short reciprocatory motion transmitted to it from pawl adapted the Windmill rod through the medium of the bell-crank lever 10, 11, draws back the ratchet bar 3 longitudinally of the frame 1 in a rearward direction and against the tension of the cord 9. As the rod 15 is drawn' down by the action of the vane 23 it throws the pawl 19 into engagement with the teeth on the inclined under edge 5 of the ratchet bar 3 and so prevents said ratchet bar moving in a contrary direction or yielding to the tension of the cord 9 when the pawl 13 slides over the teeth in its forward movement. This action continues so long as the velocity of the wind is sufficient to keep the rod 15 sufficiently depressed to allow the pawl 13 to engage the next tooth; the ratchet bar 3 has then a short reci rocatory motion transmitted to it, whic continues until the velocity of the wind increases or decreases.

The disengaging tooth or projection 30 on the'up'per edge of the frame 1 throws the p awl. 13 out of engagement with` the teeth on the upper edge 4 of the ratchet bar 3, when said pawl is moved sufliciently far in a forward direction by the bellcrank lever 10, 11 to cause it to engage said tooth 30. This allows the ratchet bar 3 to move back when the pawl 19 is depressed owing to the decreased velocity of the wind. In this manner the ratchet bar 3 assumes a position determined by the action of the pawl 13, while the position assumed by the latter is determined by the extent of deflection ofthe vanes 28.

The arrangement shown in the drawings and above described shows the invention adapted to that type of windmill in which the tension in the cord turns the wheel out of the wind.

What 1 claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. 1n a governor for windmills, in combination a bar serrated along two edges, means for connecting said bar with the headgear of the windmill, a pawl adapted to engage the teeth on one edge of the bar, means connecting said pawl with the pump-rod, another to engage teeth-on the other edge of the bar, wind for controlling the pawls to movement of the ratchet bar;

2, 1n a governor for windmills, nation a frame, a ratchet bar provided with teeth along two of its edges and slidably mounted on said frame, means for connecting said bar with the headgear of the windmill, a bellcrank lever pivoted to the frame7 a pawl pivoted to one arm of the lever and adapted to engage the teeth on the upper edge of the ratchet bar7 a stop on the frame which serves for throwing the pawl out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet bar when said pawl is advanced beyond a certain point, a rod carrying at its upper end a plate which serves for maintaining the pawl out of gear with the teeth of the ratchet bar, another pawl, actuated by the rod supporting the plate to engage teeth on the other edge of the ratchet bar when the plate falls and allows the first mentioned pawl to engage the teeth on the upper edge of the bar, and means actuated by the wind for operating the rod and plate.

3. In a governor for windmills, in combination a frame, a ratchet bar toothed on two edges and slidably mounted on said frame, means connecting said ratchet bar with the headgear of the windmill, a bellcrank lever connected at one end to the pump-rod, a pawl attached to the other end of the lever which is adapted to engage the teeth on the upper edge of the ratchet bar, a stop on the frame for throwing the pawl out of engagement with the teeth when said pawl is advanced beyond a certain point, a spring controlled rod located at the side of the ratchet bar, a plate carried regulate the and means actuated by the IOO IOS

IIO

at the upper end of said rod which serves for I engagement with the teeth in the normal maintaining the pawl out of engagement with l ruiming of the mill, another pawl actuated the teeth in the normal running of the mill, l by the rod to engage teeth on the other edge another pawl actuated by the rod to engage l of the ratchet bar to prevent the forward teeth on the other edge of the ratchet bar to movement of said bar when the pawl is enprevent the forward movement of said bar gaging the teeth on the upper edge of the bar, when the pawl is engaging the teeth on the l and means which operate to depress the rod upper edge of the bar, and means which opl and plate to cause both pawls to engage the erate to depress the rod and plate to cause ratchet bar on an increase in the velocity of both pawls to engage the ratchet bar on an l the wind, said means consisting of vanes conincrease in the velocity nected to a vertical rod fitted at its upper tially as described. l end with a dished plate, a stationary dished 4. In a governor for windmills, in coinbiplate about which the first-named plate may nation a frame, a ratchet bar toothed on two l tilt, a flexible connection between the vertiedges and slidably mounted on said frame, cal rod and the bar and plate which operates meansconnecting said ratchet bar with the the pawls, a bracket for carrying the rod, and headgear of the windmill, a bellcrank lever a spring which serves for yieldingly supportconnected at one end to the pump rod, apawl l ing the rod and plate, substantially as deattached to the other end of the lever which scribed. is adapted to engage the teeth on the upper In witness whereof edge of the ratchet bar, a stop on the frame I hand inthe presence for throwingthe pawl out of1 engagement nesses. with the teet 1 when said paw is advanced T beyond a certain point, a spring controlled l CHARLES KEBRICK HALL' rod located at the side of the ratchet bar, a j plate carried at the upper end of said rod which serves for 'maintaining the pawl out of l of the wind, substan- I have hereunto set my of twosubscribing witl/Vitnesses CHAs. OVENDALE, R. OVENDALE. 

